United States v. James Merrill and Carlos Wanzeler
Retail Consumer Fraud Firm was retained by Counsel for the accused Merrill to assess the government's allegation of a ponzi scheme where it reported"total losses by the victims of about $3,045,000,000" located around the world. We must determine if the characteristics associated with an alleged Ponzi scheme are evident in the nature of the revenue and expense recorded by the company. To assemble the full financial picture, a list of missing financial records from the government's case along with a list of various computer-based analyses that became their basis for the allegations were requested. The requests were necessary in order...
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Regina vs. Glenn Turner, Dare To Be Great of Canada Ltd
Retail Consumer Fraud Dare to be Great through a Go-Tour Known for his harelip, Mr. Turner from Florida was the owner, founder and creator of many promotion methods called such names, as “Would I like to better myself?” “Would I like to double my salary?” “Go-Tours” This was my first investigation into pyramid selling. Their marketing plan claimed that for $5,000 one becomes, as they put it, an ‘Independent Sales Agent’ who would receive 40% commission on those persons one enrolls and then 20% commission when their enrollees enroll another person. Marketing involving the sale of the product (which, in...
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Regina vs. Lucas, Lipson and Kendall
Retail Consumer Fraud Lost quarter; Lost trial Sunway Distributing Ltd, a vending machine distributor advertised in newspapers across Canada, offering substantial, guaranteed, spare-time income which could be earned for an investment of only $1,000 to $3,000. In fact, no one made any money. I was in the witness box being cross-examined when in front of the jury defense counsel proceeded to insert a quarter into a machine. The only problem was that he lost his quarter. His eyes moved toward his client; it was a moment of comfort for me and a lesson in courtroom theatre. I recommend to young...
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Regina vs. Chronis and Corrigan
Charity Consumer Fraud Helping the Blind The charity was operating the Canadian Blind Associates; it raised funds by promoting concerts in various cities to raise money for the blind. This was my first experience investigating a consumer fraud involving a charity. From all known disbursements, none was found to have helped the blind in any way. We also established that a practice existed to deposit only 55% of all receipts, that I labeled the ‘known deposits’. Canadian Blind Associates itself was not registered as a charitable organization. In October 1975 Judge Costello found them guilty. Both accused weighed over 300...
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